Cyprus Conflict
Customer Question (14 August 2003):
I've received this from an associate.
If you do buy in the north, be careful about the title to the land, and make sure it can be traced back continuously to a point before the (invasion) in 1974, and preferably via continual Turkish ownership. There is a chance of re-unification, and land ownership will be a big issue, with those Greeks claiming to have had ownership in the north wanting to reclaim what they see as theirs (and vice versa, of course).
... what information can you let me have about the land which has TRNC title deed?
Obviously I don't want to encounter any problems in the future.
I appreciate your help.
Sheryl Edwards
Our Reply (Unity Ltd.):
Dear Ms. Sheryl Edwards,
In 1974 the Greek side started the war for uniting the island to Greece. As the two guarantor countries, UK and Turkey, should have stopped it. However, UK just watched while Turkey lonely and legally intervened and stopped it. And unavoidably the island was divided; Turkish Cypriots in the north and the Greek Cypriots in the south of the island. Since 1974, life goes on and in order to survive we (Turkish Cypriots) have been using lands which belonged to Greeks pre 1974 and we built our houses, schools, roads, hospitals, etc. on these lands. The Greek Cypriots did the same on our lands. During the last 30 years the two sides are playing a 'politics game'. Although the Greek side played the 'game' better than the Turkish side the Greek side couldn't win because of "double-dealing" which was proved by the referandum results of UN plan. Although they know that a Turkish Cypriot will never accept it, since 1974 the Greek government has been continuously inviting the Turkish Cypriots to go and get their lands back on the grounds that they accept living under the authority of the Greek government. How can it be expected for older generation to live amongst Greek people safely having been subjected to such genocide. Would a Jewish person have accepted an invitation from Hitler post the World War II. Unless we have a 100% guarantee we could never accept it and we haven't accepted. Greek dictation goes beyond the war of 1974. We must not forget the persecution of 1962. The Greek natioanlists were organised under the roof of EOKA : secret junta-assisted organization of Greek nationalists aiming to discriminate Turkish Cypriots and thus to unite the island to Greece. EOKA was an orginasitaion which is very similar to the SS organisation of Hitler.
So, the division of the island has been an unavoidable result of the situation after the war. We couldn't go to south to our original lands and the Greek people couldn't come to north to their original lands after the Greek's attack. For that generation it was obvious that the Greek and Turkish people could not live together; perhaps we need another generation which may take another 30 years. So, nobody could expect the Turkish Cypriots and the Greek Cypriots to live like refugees for the last 30 years. For example, the house in which my father has been living and the land over which I constructed my house were owned by Greek people pre 74. However, as I explained above, unwillingly and unavoidably we have got ownership of the lands on the north of the island after 1974.
There can be no winners of this unreasonable political game. For a better future, the people of the two sides should communicate and understand each other. I do understand the feelings of a Greek Cypriot who wants his land back. But at the same time he should understand our feelings and our situation as well. He lost his land and we lost ours.
Do you know what my father says against the claims of Greeks who say "Turks have stolen our properties"?
He says:
"If some day a Greek person comes and claims that these are his properties I am ready to give him more than he wants if he pays me the lives of my father and my brother back whom they killed without any reason."
Dear Ms. Edwards, in the message which was sent to you it says:
"If you do buy in the north, be careful about the title to the land, and make sure it can be traced back continuously to a point before the (invasion) in 1974, and preferably via continual Turkish ownership. There is a chance of re-unification, and land ownership will be a big issue, with those Greeks claiming to have had ownership in the north wanting to reclaim what they see as theirs (and vice versa, of course)."
First of all, you should understand the exact position of Turkey on the island. Turkey is not an INVADER as Greek politicians and Greek nationalists claim. Turkey is a SAVIOR. If Turkey had not intervened (as a Guarantor) when the Greek junta started to kill the Turkish Cypriots, today I wouldn't be replying to your email - I wouldn't be living. It is not fair to regard Turkey as an invader. Turkish Cypriots want Turkey to have a military force on the island for protection purposes. It should be noted that since 1974 nobody has been killed from both sides which proves that Turkey's military force on the island has been not for attacking purposes but a force which keeps peace on the island.
Great powers - America, UK, EU and other leading countries accept that Turkey is not an intruder on the island. Otherwise, Turkey would not have the chance to be on the island for the last 30 years. Saddam (Iraq) tried to invade Kuwait and you know what happened.
I accept that Turkish politics is not as shrewd as the Greek's. Greek politicians have based their political strategy on the invasion of Turkey. They have always been shouting: "Turks invaded our land and they have stolen our properties". Unfortunately, the Greek side has managed to convince so many people who are not aware of the realities of the Cyprus Problem, that the "Cyprus Problem" is a problem of invasion of Greek lands by Turks without any reason - which is not true.
It was the Greek side (mainly the Greek junta) who started to kill the innocent Turkish and English Cypriots without any reason and therefore the Greek side is 100% responsible for the loss of lives. Our politicians have been unsuccessful, because they couldn't put forward the right political strategy which should be " The living right is a more powerful right than the property right". Instead, they tried to unite the North Cyprus to Turkey. However, despite the political inability of the Turkish side, the Greek sides' political ability will not be enough to gain the table.
History showed once more that whoever plays on nationalism loses. Greeks lost in 1974 and Turks since 1974. Actually, it is the generations who lose - so many people died and so many people have lived under embargoes for several years.
Actually, as a person who dislikes discriminative nationalism I don't like to use the terms such as Greek side and Turkish side, but, one should ask:
Who started the fight? The Greek side.
Who paid the bill. The English, Greek and Turkish Cypriots - and the young soldiers from Turkey and Greece who died or injured during the war.
The Cyprus Problem is not a "simple problem of invasion of the Greek properties" by the Turks. The Cyprus Problem is the fight of "living right" of 200,000 Turkish Cypriot against "property right" of 800,000 Greek Cypriot among the benefits of great powers (US, UK, EC and perhaps Russia) and as the related sides, Turkey and Greece.
So, how is the property (title deed) problem going to be resolved in Cyprus ?
Everybody is aware that there is only one method for the solution - GLOBAL COMPENSATION. The Great Powers together with Turkey and Greece governments will compensate for the loss of individuals.
Yes, it would be fair that the Great Powers should help for compensation, if what the retired CIA writer informed is true. He claims that it was the US who caused all these problems. In order to prevent comunism in Cyprus, it was America and UK who supported Greek Junta in 1974 in order to pull down the legs of the Greek leader Makarios who was in good relations with Red Russia. When Greek junta was out of control on the island, they encouraged Turkey to intervene.
Related Link: North Cyprus Properties Property Compensation Insurance
Actually, it wouldn't be wrong if somebody claims that "The Cyprus Problem" is a residue of struggle of comunism and fascism.
Unfortunately, the real peacful citizens of the island (200,000 Turkish Cypriots) who have no contribution to the "Cyprus Problem" paid for it the most. So many of us lost our lifes, so many of us lost our properties and so many of us have been living under embargo for the last 30 years. And, moreover our greek friends have played the "politics game" so well that we have been regarded as the illegal side. It is unbelievable.
Now, the great powers decided to solve the problem. As Cypriots, we are just happy with it.
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